In a variety of circumstances, it can be beneficial for a printhead to maintain a tightly controlled gap between its transfer surface, or discharge nozzle, and a substrate surface on which the printhead is to print a material. Such control is especially important in printing with a thermal printing printhead devised for deposition of a dry ink without contacting the surface on which the dry ink is to be deposited. If the printhead is too far away from the substrate surface, the printing can be too diffuse. If the printhead is too close to the substrate surface, printing can be too granular. When too close, the printhead may even contact the substrate, resulting in damage to both the substrate and the printhead. Gap control is also important in inkjet printing between the inkjet printhead and a substrate. Therefore, it is desirable to control the print gap between the substrate and the printhead in both thermal and inkjet printing systems, to optimize printing results and the printing process.